Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Project 17A (Nilgiri-class Frigates)
"India's most advanced indigenous stealth frigate programme — 7 ships (4 at MDL, 3 at GRSE) with >75% indigenous content, displacing 6,670 tonnes, armed with BrahMos and Barak-8."
Project 17A is the Indian Navy's flagship surface combatant programme, producing seven Nilgiri-class stealth frigates designed entirely by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) of the Indian Navy. The ships are being built concurrently at two shipyards: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai (4 ships) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata (3 ships). The Nilgiri-class displaces 6,670 tonnes, measures approximately 149 metres in length, and incorporates comprehensive stealth features: reduced radar cross section (RCS) through sloped superstructure design, infrared signature suppression via engine exhaust cooling, and acoustic quieting through raft-mounted machinery. Indigenous content exceeds 75%, with a supply chain involving 200+ Indian MSMEs. Armament includes BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Barak-8 Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (jointly developed with Israel), torpedo tubes, rocket launchers, and a 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount. The ships carry an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter for ASW operations. The programme uses Integrated Construction Methodology (modular block construction) — pre-fabricated hull and superstructure sections are built separately and assembled, reducing construction time by approximately 30%. This is the first time two Indian shipyards have simultaneously built warships of the same class from a common design.
Important for Prelims (ship names, pennant numbers, builders, specifications) and Mains GS3 (defence indigenisation, Make in India, naval modernisation strategy, MSME participation).
- 1 7 frigates: 4 at MDL Mumbai + 3 at GRSE Kolkata
- 2 Displacement: 6,670 tonnes; length: ~149 m
- 3 Indigenous content: >75%; 200+ MSME suppliers
- 4 Design: Directorate of Naval Design (DND), Indian Navy
- 5 Weapons: BrahMos, Barak-8 LRSAM, torpedoes, 76mm SRGM
- 6 Cost: ~Rs 48,000 crore for all 7 ships
- 7 INS Nilgiri (F39): Commissioned Aug 2024; INS Udaygiri (F40): 2025
- 8 INS Taragiri (F41): Commissioning April 3, 2026
- 9 Stealth: Reduced RCS, IR suppression, acoustic quieting
INS Taragiri (F41), the fourth ship of Project 17A, will be commissioned on April 3, 2026 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh — marking another milestone in India's naval indigenisation journey where over 75% content is sourced domestically.